Plaster-wall-board shipping package or holder



Aug. 13, 1929. c w, u z 1,724,740

PLASTER WALL BOARD SHIPPING PACKAGE OR HOLDER File 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR C ir eac e Mdwam. BY M ATTORN EY 1929- c. w. UTZMAN 1,724,740

PLASTER WALL BOARD SHIPPING PACKAGE OR HOLDER Filed Jan. 14, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

(/arence WI Ufgman A M 1 m M A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 13, 1929. c. w. UTZMAN h I 1,724,740

PLASTER WALL BOARD SHIPPING PACKAGE OR HOLDER Filed Jan. 14, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

C/a 716/766 W U5 man BY WK 1 ATTORNEYS.

Aug.'l3, 1929. c. w. UTZMAN 4,7

v PLASTER WALL BOARD SHIPPING PACKAGE 0R HOLDER Filed 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

C/areflce W Uijman ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 13, 1929. c. w. UTZMAN PLASTER WALL BOARD SHIPPING PACKAGE OR HOLDER 5 sheets-sheet 5 Filed Jan. 14, 1924 ll l INVENTORQ C/are 21cc W. U

zf man M TTORNEYS.

BYKW

Patented Aug. 13,

,UNITEDI srArEIs CLARENCE W. UTZHAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASBIGNOR TO UNITED STATES GYP- 1,724,740 PATENT OFFICE.

' r SUM COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01' ILLINOIS.

rnas'rna-wanL-noaan snrrnim rgcxacn a HOLDER.

Application filed January 14, 1924. Serial No. 685,988.

This invention relates to improvement in preparing articles for shipment and more particularly to a plaster wallboard package. Plaster wallboard is a fabric covered sheet of plaster usually of an inch thick, 32 to 48 inches wide and cut in lengths up to 1-0 feet depending upon its use. It is not always possible in local freight shipments to secure sufiicient space in freight cars to lay the boards flat, one on'top of another, on the car floor, and to be assured that the boards are delivered in perfect conditionit becomes necessary to crate the boards so they may then be set on edge to save space and the edges and surfaces be protected in transportation. There are two disadvantages to such a package; The material making up the'crate is expensive and the usual types now in use take up 50 to 150% more space than the board uncrated would v occupy.

' that a unit so constructed be sufiiciently' light for one person to handleor manage It is anzobject of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive shipping package and holder .for wallboard that will give the protection, desired to the board;

in transporting it; thatwill serve equally well theparty buyinga small quantity of board as the ,onewho buys by the carload; that will take up little or no additional room in storage or in shipping, over that used in carload bulk shipments, that can be readily attached or assembled about the wallboard by-machine operation; that utilizes the basic physical property of the wallboard, its rigidity and adaptability,to form the skeleton for the attachment of the holder thereto; that the weight of said container, due to utilizing the physical properties of the wallboard, is reduced to a minor fraction of the weights heretofore found necessaryin securing the same service results in shipping crated or packaged wallboard; that by a novel arrangement, the nails' necessary for the erection of the board. are contained in the holder when shippedand take up no outwardly visible space in said package.v

The feature of supplying the nails in the same package with the wallboard insures that the proper size, quality and quantity of nails are alwa s on'hand atthe place where the board is actually erected. This is an important feature as 1t prevents errors and mistakes, reduces complaints therefrom and renders a more satisfactory perform-' ance of, the product With the packaging of two boards it is ossible to have the face sides (the ones desired to be kept free of this invention which at the same time con- I templates a package in which cost'of mate rial, manual operation, weight, handling,

-and space occupied in transportation are all reducedjto a minimum. 1

-With these and other objects in view reference .is made to the accompanying sheets of drawing illustrating the preferred forms of this invention, yet it is to be under-c stood that minor detail changes may" be made without departing from the scope thereof. V

In the drawings; 1

Figure 1 is a perspective yiew of an em bodiment of this invention showing the shipping package in an upright position.

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of a plurality of theseshipping packages standing in upright position as the would appear against a' storehouse wal or freight car. side. I r

Figure 3 is 'an enlarged detail view in transverse section illustrating the edges of the wallboards composing the packages and the holding strip therefore.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in rspectiveshowing another form of hol ing strip. 7

Figure 5 is a' similar view showing a shipping packageas constructed for express shipments and with a separatebinding strip on the end. v

' Figure 6is a similar view of another form the ex er or end m gins of the wallboard.

the holding strip extended beyond of construction for carrying the nails within I the packa' end of such holding strip before applica- V tion.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective of another form in which the holding strip is extended beyond the end of the wallboards, the central portion bent down over the end and and the side portions crimped back thereon.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view of a corner in perspective of another form of this invention.

Figure 12 is a similar corner view of another form. v

Figure 13 is a view in side elevation of one end of a form of improved package, with parts broken away to show another means for containing nails.

Figure 14 1s a fragmentary view in perspective of a corner of another form of package illustrating another manner in carrying nails.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a corner of a form of package, showing a different method of carrying nails.

Figures 16, 17 and 18 are fragmentary perspective views of different forms of package holding strips.

Figure 19 is perspective view, with parts broken away, of another form of package including another form of nail holding means.

Figure 20 is a view in transverse section through a longitudinal edge of the package illustrated \in Figure 21 showing the "tie band.

Figure 21 is a view in perspective ofanother form of package.

Figure 22 is a similar view of a modification of Figure 21. a Figure 23 is an enlarged detail vi w in perspective of a corner of Figure 22, with parts broken away.

Figure 24 is a transverse sectional view through a form of end holder shown in Figure 22 including nail pocket. Figure 25 is an enlarged fragmentar view in perspective of a corner similar to igure 23 illustrating a modification thereof.

. Plaster. board of the dimensions of wallboard is somewhat flexible and when a single 1 board is lifted at one end it will sag considerably in the middle and therefore sev I eral boards are combined faceto face in th1s improved package. In the embodiment of this invention, illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, two plaster wallboards 1 and 2 are placed together with the faces, which will ultimately form the'wall or decorated surface when erected, against each other. The opposite longitudinal edges of the boards are covered and held together by a holding strip 3 of thin metal bent in the form. of a channel with the side ;jflanges 4 engaging the outer margins of the" boards.

,The channels are of suflicient width to slip over the edges when the boards are held 'togetherand to secure the holding strip in place during transportation and insure the flanges 4 remaining in contact with the outer surfaces of the boards, these outer marginal surfaces'are treated with a thin layer of any desirable adhesive 5, such as silicate of soda, before the holding strips are applied.

It has been found that a holding strip of this character may be made of very thin metal andv will make a shipping package protecting the longitudinal edges and taking up hardly any more room in transportation when stood on edge, as shown in Figure 2, than if the holding strips werenot present. The holders 3 are readily removed when it is desired 'to separate the boards by inserting a dull knife blade or other thin edged instrument under the flanges 4 and detaching them from the board surfaces by prying outwardly. It has been found that this can be accomplishedwith little or no damage to the board surfaces when the adhesive has been properly applied and it is to be noted that these outer marginal surfaces will ultimately be on the side of the wall next to the -studding when erected, so

that as long as the longitudinal edges are perfect and. unbroken, a slight defacing of the paper covering the sheet here and there on the back of the board will not affect the propgrties and appearance of the erectedboar On account of the size and weight of plaster wallboards, a ship ing package made up of two 'or three boar s is much more convenient to handle especially-by one person and forms a rigid package for transportation. Heretofore it has been customary to form a package of five or more wallboards to save cost of material in crating; and in the endeavor to compensate for the space between crates in shipping, as the strips of wood employed'alon'g the sides in the cus; tomary crates are approximately as thick as a wallboard in order that the crates have suflicient strength to protect the contents during transportation.

To reduce the weight of the holder and also to make it more flexible in application,

the web joining the flanges 4 may be provided with perforations 5, as shown in F igure 4. i 1

It is readily seen from Figure 2 that this invention provides a shipping package that. conserves the space between the side surfaces of the wallboards of adjacent packages and there is virtually no lost space between them when stacked for transportation thereby allowing full utilization of the available loading space in the freight car, truck or other vehicle.

Should it be desirable to protect the 'transverse edges of the .wallboards at the of wooden spacing blocks 8 which provide vacant spaces between the holder 6 and the said edges which space maybe utilized for carrying nails of the proper size and qual ty for erecting the boards. It is immaterial how many spacin blocks are so employed and the length 0 these blocks are preferably such' that the space,or spaces between them is suflicient to contain enough nails for I the proper application of the boards. It is preferable after the nails have been .placed in the space between blocks to retain them in place by placing a strip of tou h pappr thereover and pasting the ends to t e bloc s When it is desirable to protect the corners where the longitudinal and end edges meet, the holder 3 may be of greater length than the' board and the side flanges notched at each corner, as shown in Figure 7, so that the extending portion 9 may be bent down over the end with the flan es 10 thereof engaging the end margins o the outer boards and held thereagainst by an adhesive if desired, or the flanges 4 so notched and cut away to provide a tongue 11, adapted when the extending portion'9 is bent over the end to engage in a slit 12 in the flanges 10, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, or the flanges 4 may be separatedvfrom the extension 9 and when the extension is bentdown over the end the extensions of the flanges 4 crim d ,lowin figures in the drawings.

back to engage the end covering extension, as shown in Figure 10.

The forms of holders so far illustrated and described are particularly designed for short hauls'with l1ttle handhng but where rou h usage maybe expected as in longhauls with many reshipmentsthis invention contemplates further protection to both the longitudinaland transverse ed es and cor-- ners of the board, as illustrate in the fol In igure 11, a stri of 00d 13 is aplied at each end of t e package with the older 3 extending thereover and nailed thereto with the flanges 4 extending likewise and also nailed or fastened to the stri 13. A more rigid form of holder 3-is s ownin Figure 12 in which the side flanges 4 are each prbvided with two'spaced apart corruations 14 extending throughout their englth' and this figure also shows an end hol er .6, applied in the same manner as in Figure 5, over the wooden end strip 13and the flanges 7 thereof nailed to the strip...

Figure 13 illustrates a package? in which the holder 3 with flanges 4 is applied over the longitudinal edges of the bdards, as previously described, and a second similarly shaped holder 15 with flanges '16 is ap lied 'thereover and spaced apart therefrom y a plurality of spacing blocks 17, as shown. The ends oftheboards are provided end strips 13 over'which the holder '15 extends with its flanges 16 nailedthereto. The

.spaces between the holders 3and 15 between the blocks 17 are provided for the purpose of carrying the proper quantity and quality of nails or other material for the erection of the boards, and the portion of the holder 3 forming the lower wall of the nail holding space is slitted to form a tongue, preferably adjacent one of the blocks, which tongue may be pulled out therefrom for the admis sion and removal of the nails .and be normally closed to retain the nails.

Figure 14 illustrates another form of package employing endpieces of wood adapted to hold nails for erecting the boards contained in the package. This package comprises the longitudinal edge metal holders 3 and wooden end pieces 13, the ends of which are embraced by the ends of the metal holder 3 and are secured thereto. In this case the side flanges 4 of the holder 3 are each provided with equally spaced parallel corrugations struck up from the body of the metal of each flange, beginning at the ends of the contained boards so that the ortions of the flanges embracing the woo enend pieces are flat, and as an additional strength enin means for maintaining the flanges rigi metal wires 18 are secured within the corrugated portions. The end strips are embraced'bythin metal holders 19, similar to holder 3, havingside flanges 20 extending beyond the wood to engage the margins of the ends of the outside boards, as shown.

To adapt the end pieces to carry nails a'portion, or portions, lscut away from the outer surface of the strip 13 in such a manner that "the wall 21 is curved u ward at each end,

into the outer surface 0 the main body of the strip. The web of the holder 19 joining the flanges 20'is slitted at one end of the space between the interior of the holder and i cut out portion of the wooden member 13 to form a'ton uef22 which may be bent out for the inser 1011 and removal of nails from the space within, which ton ue normally lays at with the holder an ma be re.-' tained in place bya paper stic er, not shown.

Another form of package is illustrated in Figure 15 in which a strip of wood 23 is lai over the longitudinal edges of the boards under themetal holder 3' with the flanges 4 th'ereof extending therebeyond to engage the margins of the outside boards, the' ends of" the package are constructed similarly tov Figure, 14, except that no nail carrier is provided therein, and the wooden strips 23 extend between the flanges of the end holder 19 and are secured thereto,

as shown. In this case the outersurface of with side flanges A, in' Figure '17. this holder.

is strengthened by the additional strip 25 secured on the under side of the web between the side 'flanges'4 and each side flange is given more rigldity by ,the struck out portion or flat corrugation 26, while in Figure 18 the side flanges arestrengthened by angular strips 27 secured on the interior thereof. and by a plurality of equally spaced apart outwardly projecting corrugations 28. Another form of ackage is shown in Figure 19 in which t e longitudinaled es are contained in a metal holder 3 with side flanges 4 embracing the margin of the outer requirements is that shown in Figu boards 1 with one end rotected b the wooden end strip 13 and t eother en covered by a metal tube 29 adapted to hold nails or other material with its ends closed by plugs 30 which are extended to'the corners of the package and enter between'and are secured to extensions of the holder 3, as

shown. Y a

A very satisfactory package to, meet all res 21 to 25, inclusive, and in which both longitudinal len edges and transverse nds are ,protected by wooden strips. 4 In these figures the wooden longitudinaledge strips 23 arecorresponding in width to the number of wallboards contained in the package and are of the same has the boards. One each side of the str1ps.23 thin, metal strips .31, reinforced if desired, are. secured so as to project therebelow to engage the outer margins of the edges of the outside boards in the same manner as the flanges 4 of the holders 3 herebe- .fore'described. The wooden,- end pieces 13 v are of the same width as the longitudinal brou' ht over the ends. of the end pieces, 'prefbands 32 about *the package adjacent each strips 23 and extend over the ends of the contained boards. The metal strips 31 itre erab y ilapping each other, and are secured thereto, as shown. In the form-shown in Figure 21 it is preferable to pass the metal secured preferably by spot welding. In Figouter end margins of the outside boards of the package. In this form it is preferable to form the board engaging members 34 of asingle strip of metal bent so asoto provide a' flat portion of the width of the boards to be engaged with flanges depending therefrom to engage the outer surface of the boards which flanges are bent back upon themselves to extend beyond the flat portion and embrace the wooden end members 13 and be secured thereto as shown in Figure 24; The corner formed at the meeting of the ends of ,the longitudinal and transverse end memhers is shown in; Figures 23 and 25 which illustrate the flat portions of the metal end engaging member. 34 extending beyond the end of its wodenstrip 13, bent back upon the enter surface of the end of the longitudinal strip 23 and secured thereto, the ends of the longitudinal metal-strips 31 are overlapped and secured aboutthe ends of the end mem- Figure 25 shows an angular slit 36 cut in the end of thewooden longitudinal strip 23 adjacent the corner into which the end of the ber 13.- With this connection at the corners the end bands 32 may be omitted. Figure too extension 35' is inserted and held. In this form the .portion 35 rests upon the outer surjf e ofthe wooden lon itudinal member 23 and as this portion is ends fixed to the member 23 it will act as a shoe forthe end of the side member so that' one man may place the package on a longiat metal with both I tudinal edge and slide it about upon the shoe over the warehouse or car floor in moving the crate. In this latter type aspace 37 may be provided between themetal member 34 and woden end piece 13 by cutting out a suflicient amount ofthe wood from the under side of the end piece 13 as shown in dotted lines in Figure23, and by slitting the flat metal portion over the ends of the boards adjacent one end of'the space 37 to form a'tongue similar to the tongue22 shown in Figure 14 for the'ins ertion and removal of nails. It is to be understood that such spaces as heretofore described for the carrying ofnails may be also used to carry sufiicient crack filler or joint finisher or other material for the erected *boards contained in the crate, it being contemplated to provide one or more spaces for nails and one or-more similar spaces for the end and a similar band 33 about the middle,- encase or wrap the boards making 'up the which bands. are drawn tight with the ends package with paper or other covering beno fore the holding frame is attached. The covering may be ofcany desired material and ma be attached or folded about the boards an free edges received in any desirablemanner without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

What I claim is:

1. A wallboard package comprising a plus rality of boards, protecting members arranged along the edges of said boards, holding members embracing the protecting members and margins of the boards, one of said protecting members being provided with a' pocket on the side under its holding member, said holding member being provided with a closable means of entrance into said pocket.

2. A wallboard package comprising a plurality of boards I holding members embracing the longitu al and end edges of the boards and protecting members extending along the edges of the holding members, the holding members overlapping the adjacent ends of the protecting members transverse thereto? c I 3. In a shipping package fora bundle of wall boards placed face to face, channelshaped metallic holders having flanges embracing the transverse and longitudinal edges of said bundle, a wooden frame strip embraced within the flanges of one of said holders and attached to the end of an adjacent holder at the corner of said bundle stiffening members formed in the flanges oi a holder, the flanges of a holder being removably secured to the outer boards of said bundle, and a pocket formed adjacent said.

frame strip, said pocket having a closable means of entrance.

4: A wallboardpackage comprising a plurality of boards, holding strips having metallic members embracing the longitudinal edges of said boards, and end members having metallic strips, said holding strips and end members being overlapping so as to protect the corners of the boards at the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse edges thereof. f

5. A wallboard package 'comprisin a plurality of boards, holding members em racing the longitudinal edges thereof, protecting members extending along the transverse .edges of the boards, said holding members and rotecting members comprising portions whic overla and are secured together at the corners o the boards to protect the corners of said boards during shlpment;

'rality of boards, holdingmembers embracing the longitudinal edges thereof, protecting members engaging the transverse edges andsecured at the corners to the longitudinal holding members, said holding members embracing the protectin members and the edges offlthe board, sai protecting members binding A of 6. A wallboard package comprising a plu-' an being provided with a ockethaving a closure which may be re ily opened.

- 7. A package of substantiall flat sheets of gypsum boards or the like 0 similar size andshape, comprising a plurality of such sheets placed in face-to-facerelationwith corresponding edges in substantial alignment to form a stack, and means for securing I said sheets'in such aligned relation to form such package, said means consisting of binda ing members'embracing edge portions of the stack and secured to the outwardly presented flat surfaces of said stack, said binding members bein of such thinness that the presence thereof oes not appreciably increase the thicknessof the package at the places of ap-- 'PIICMJIOII of said members, said sheets and stack, said binding members being of suchthinness that'the presence thereof does not appreciably increase the thickness of the package at the places of application of said members, said sheets \and binding means constituting a finished cdmmercial package.

9. A package of substantiall fiat sheets of gy sum boards or the like 0 (similar size and s ape, comprising a plurality of such sheets placed in face-to-face relation with corresponding edges in substantial alignment to form a stack, and means for'securing said sheets in such aligned relation to form such package, said means consisting of binding members embracing edge portions of the stackand adhesively securedto marginal portions of the outwardly presented fiat surfaces of said stack, said binding members being 'of such thinness that the presence thereof does not appreciably increase the thickness of the ackage at the laces of ap'- lication of said members, said sheets and indin means constituting a finished commercial package.

10. A package of substantially flat sheets corresponding edges in substantial alignment to form a stack, and means for securing said sheets in such aligned relation to form such package, said means consisting of bindin sum'board or the like of similar sizesiiape, comprising a plurality of such sheets placed in' face-tmface relation with members of flexible material, of such thinness that the presence thereof does'not appreciably increase the thickness of the package at the places of application of said members, said binding members, embracing certain edges of said stack, and having por- 1 5 tions overlapping ortions of op osite outwardly presented at surfaces 0 the stack and secured by adhesive directly to said outwardly presentedsurfaces, whereby the portions of said binding members overlying the edges of the stack form the only binding for 10 said edges, said binding members being of siiificient stren h to retain said sheets in packaged relationagainst relative displacement in a direction at right angles to the flat surfaces thereof, and constituting with said 15 sheets, a finished commercial package.

CLARENCE w. UTZMAN. 

